Tragic Loss as Infant's Life Taken in West Bank Conflict
A seven-month-old child from Palestine tragically lost his life in the West Bank, after being caught in the line of fire by Israeli forces. The incident also resulted in injuries to the child's parents, even though they had obeyed the order to halt their vehicle.
The horrifying incident took place in the Tel Rumeida region of Hebron. The infant, named Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was critically wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite the doctors' best efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. His parents also suffered injuries during the incident.
The Israeli military explained that their forces had fired upon a vehicle that was believed to be coming towards them. However, an initial review of the incident revealed that the victims were innocent civilians.
The Family's Side of the Story
Fahd Abu Haikal, the father of the deceased child and a university lecturer, shared his version of the incident. He stated that a bullet penetrated his hand and struck his son, Sam, who was being cradled by his mother in the back seat. The family, including the couple's 11-year-old son and Abu Haikal's mother, were driving through Hebron when they were ordered to stop their vehicle by the forces.
Abu Haikal emphasized that the incident took place during daylight, and the soldier who fired the shot could clearly see that the occupants of the vehicle were a family. "I halted the car completely and raised my hands on the steering wheel. Immediately after this, they started firing at our vehicle," he reported.
The Israeli Defense Forces, on the other hand, stated that their troops had perceived a vehicle moving towards them at high speed, and one of the soldiers fired single shots towards the vehicle. As a result, three Palestinians were injured and taken for medical treatment. The Defense Forces expressed deep regret for any harm caused to innocent individuals and mentioned that the incident is under investigation.
Disputing the Official Account
Abu Haikal disputed the military's version of events. He insisted that the soldier was merely 10 meters away and could clearly see him, his wife, and their children. "The windows were not tinted, it was broad daylight and everything was clear. There's no way he didn't see that we were a family," he argued.
He further explained that he had followed the orders to stop and that there was no clear checkpoint, just soldiers standing in the street. "I stopped when I was asked to, and then the shooting started," he recounted.
Abu Haikal demanded an investigation into the incident and insisted that the soldier responsible should be held accountable. "I demand and expect, if there is any conscience, any law, any morality, that the soldier who fired the shots will be held accountable for his actions. This case must not be closed without an investigation and without accountability. At the very least, I do not intend to give up," he declared.
Another Tragic Incident
In a similar occurrence, Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle passing through the village of Tamoun, in the northern Jordan valley, resulting in the deaths of a Palestinian couple and their two young children. The victims were identified as Ali Bani Odeh, 38, his wife, Waad Bani Odeh, 36, and their sons Othman, six, and Mohammad, five.
The soldiers also removed two other children from the vehicle, Khaled, 11, and Mustafa, eight, both of whom suffered minor shrapnel injuries. It was reported that the older child, Khaled, was subjected to an intense interrogation at the scene.
It was also reported that the military initially prevented ambulances from reaching the scene and only allowed medical teams to access the area after causing a delay. The family’s vehicle, which was left riddled with bullet holes, was later seized by the soldiers.
A seven-month-old child from Palestine tragically lost his life in the West Bank, after being caught in the line of fire by Israeli forces. The incident also resulted in injuries to the child's parents, even though they had obeyed the order to halt their vehicle.
The horrifying incident took place in the Tel Rumeida region of Hebron. The infant, named Sam Fahd Abu Haikal, was critically wounded and rushed to a nearby hospital. Despite the doctors' best efforts, he succumbed to his injuries. His parents also suffered injuries during the incident.
The Israeli military explained that their forces had fired upon a vehicle that was believed to be coming towards them. However, an initial review of the incident revealed that the victims were innocent civilians.
The Family's Side of the Story
Fahd Abu Haikal, the father of the deceased child and a university lecturer, shared his version of the incident. He stated that a bullet penetrated his hand and struck his son, Sam, who was being cradled by his mother in the back seat. The family, including the couple's 11-year-old son and Abu Haikal's mother, were driving through Hebron when they were ordered to stop their vehicle by the forces.
Abu Haikal emphasized that the incident took place during daylight, and the soldier who fired the shot could clearly see that the occupants of the vehicle were a family. "I halted the car completely and raised my hands on the steering wheel. Immediately after this, they started firing at our vehicle," he reported.
The Israeli Defense Forces, on the other hand, stated that their troops had perceived a vehicle moving towards them at high speed, and one of the soldiers fired single shots towards the vehicle. As a result, three Palestinians were injured and taken for medical treatment. The Defense Forces expressed deep regret for any harm caused to innocent individuals and mentioned that the incident is under investigation.
Disputing the Official Account
Abu Haikal disputed the military's version of events. He insisted that the soldier was merely 10 meters away and could clearly see him, his wife, and their children. "The windows were not tinted, it was broad daylight and everything was clear. There's no way he didn't see that we were a family," he argued.
He further explained that he had followed the orders to stop and that there was no clear checkpoint, just soldiers standing in the street. "I stopped when I was asked to, and then the shooting started," he recounted.
Abu Haikal demanded an investigation into the incident and insisted that the soldier responsible should be held accountable. "I demand and expect, if there is any conscience, any law, any morality, that the soldier who fired the shots will be held accountable for his actions. This case must not be closed without an investigation and without accountability. At the very least, I do not intend to give up," he declared.
Another Tragic Incident
In a similar occurrence, Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle passing through the village of Tamoun, in the northern Jordan valley, resulting in the deaths of a Palestinian couple and their two young children. The victims were identified as Ali Bani Odeh, 38, his wife, Waad Bani Odeh, 36, and their sons Othman, six, and Mohammad, five.
The soldiers also removed two other children from the vehicle, Khaled, 11, and Mustafa, eight, both of whom suffered minor shrapnel injuries. It was reported that the older child, Khaled, was subjected to an intense interrogation at the scene.
It was also reported that the military initially prevented ambulances from reaching the scene and only allowed medical teams to access the area after causing a delay. The family’s vehicle, which was left riddled with bullet holes, was later seized by the soldiers.